Scenes From a Zootopian Restaurant
by H8orade
Summary: Many know about the struggles, life, and times of Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde. But Zootopia is a living breathing city with so many stories all contained within this city of mammals. These are some of the stories, the struggles, worries, and dreams of the lesser known souls who explore life within the city's limits. (Please rate and review. Your criticism is very important to me)
1. Finnick

Finnick Fennec turned the keys to his shop door at 7:00 AM. It was the Tuesday after a large storm had rolled through, and the air was hot and humid. But the streets glistened in the sun the way a street would only glisten after such a rainstorm.

 _7:00 AM,_ the fox thought to himself. _Guess I really am settlin' down._

Turning the doorknob, he noticed a certain piece of jewelry making a very satisfying click against the brass.

 _Yeah… settlin' down. And a hustla' couldn't be any happiah'_

His wedding ring… part of his pride and joy, that he managed to start his own business and make enough to buy himself and his wife, Petunia, nice wedding rings. Not some five-and-dime ring pops. Real, shimmering gold rings. He took a risk going legitimate, for sure. But now his kids wouldn't see "Daddy the hustler". They'd know "Daddy the businessman".

Finnick wasn't much for deep conversation, and didn't tend to reflect much on life in general. But, as he opened the door to his Tundratown shop and saw the assortment of sports gear and memorabilia he had lined up around the grand mahogany shelves, he could never help but reflect. Especially today. Today was a very important milestone in his life.

 _Fo'ty yeah's. Nevah thought I'd be alive ta' see tha' day, man._

Forty years of living. Forty years of living and he'd only just gotten out of hustling two years ago. Just got married one year ago. And he just had his first kid a month ago. He had gotten the seventh shop in his chain of sporting goods stores only five days ago. And here he was today, turning forty years old, looking back on it all. It was one hell of a time of change for him. Love, family, and business had all entered into his life in just the span of two years.

 _An' here I was, thinkin' I'd be a hustlah' fo' the rest of my life. Nicky boy sho' got to me. Look at me now, all dressed up, gettin' 401K's, tax returns and all._

Yep. He had a good looking sports jacket and diaper money to show that he was a settled down fox now.

But as he walked into his fancy back office, sat down on his leather office chair, and started checking his emails for updates from each of the seven stores, a particular thought crossed his mind. This thought crossed his mind sometimes, but today more than ever.

He felt a bit mellow. Maybe even a little bored, at least by his job. Sure, he was happily married with a kid and a successful business to show for it. And the happiness was real. He loved his wife and mate, no doubt. And his kid, Johnson. Oh boy, did Finnick love the little bugger to death, even if he was teething at the moment. He felt happy, but… he wasn't very excited about much anymore.

Hustling was risky and undignified for sure. But one thing it had never left Finnick with was boredom. He was always doing something new. His heart was always pounding. He was living a life of excitement and danger, and at this new chapter of his life… he just wasn't feeling it. Hustling people out of money was exciting, and watching his employees come in and perform opening duties… it just wasn't.

The fennec sighed, but stood up and shook off his thoughts.

 _It's my birthday, I'm happy, I ain't gonna think like that._

Besides, he had to go check up on his workers. He wasn't about to be the asshole boss that did nothing but boss people around.

He walked out and opened the doors to his morning shift employees.

"Good morning, sir!" An adolescent cheetah called from behind the counter, raising a paw in a welcoming gesture.

"Ay, wha's good, Fin?" A gazelle said while hanging up some dry-fit shirts.

"Nothin' much. I'm doin' okay. How about y'all?"

The cheetah put some change away in the cash register. "I'm doing well, sir."

"Look a'chu, actin' all formal an' all. You need 'ta relax a bit" The zebra piped up.

"Nah, man, let 'im be. I don't mind bein' called sir and all. Does make me feel old, though!" He said with a hearty laugh.

He hadn't told any of them about his fortieth birthday on that day. Didn't want the recognition.

"Man, hate to break it to you, but you _is_ old, suh."

"Really now, why's that?"

"Look at you, you wear sports jackets for leisure wear. You dressed fo' church every day of the week. Look at this, right here-" the gazelle said, bending over to move the coat to the side. "You even got some suspenders on!"

"Aight, Aight, quit it! You go into the back room and restock the New Baa-lence section. We already got a customa' comin' in."

The gazelle set off to get the new merchandise, and Finnick was about to turn back to go to his office, but the Cheetah walked up to him to stop him, looking just a bit nervous.

"Uhm… sir, may I just say something real quick?"

"Yeah, sure, what's the dig? Cash register ain't workin' again?"

"No, sir… I just wanted to thank you. For hiring me, despite my, uhh… record. It really means a lot, having a legitimate job. And I promise you, ever since that last arrest, I've been staying out of gangs, I haven't touched a single drug, I've been going cle-"

"Hey, hey, look. Don't mention it. I's what I do. I don't like young men like you on the streets. Now's the time fo' you to grow, use all that potential you got."

It was no secret that Finnick hired a lot of young mammals from troubled backgrounds. Former gangbangers, poor hustlers like he once was, and orphans who were misguided. All on the condition that they'd give up their street life, and go legitimate and clean. Finnick took care of his workers. He'd make sure they got to school and didn't skip classes. He'd help some of them out with their college applications. He had even gone through the roughest time with some of them getting them off drugs. He was like a father to many of his employees.

"You keep up that good work. And hey, Kasan over there is right. Loosen up a little bit, kitty cat. I try to be a good boss."

With that, Finnick set into his office. He had inventories to attend to.

The doorbell ringed as a large lion stepped in at around two in the afternoon. The cheetah, briefly looking up from his current work stocking the football helmet rack, offered a polite and professional greeting, before doing a double take and staring slack jawed at the lion.

"Oh my god… No way! Are you Steve Prideson?"

The lion couldn't help but give his big, goofy grin at the recognition. "Sure am, son" He offered in his famous texas twang.

"No way! _The_ Steve Prideson?"

"Ten ton terror of Texas, Runningback Wrangler, the Pass Thief? Yes to all of 'em."

The cheetah just stood dumbfounded behind the counter, before speeding around it to shake his hand. "Sir, it is an honor, really, I am a huge fan of the Zootopia Chompers!"

"I can tell" the lion said with a grin.

"Really, like, I was kind of ridin' on you for my fantasy football team all of last season, and you kind of saved me a lot."

"Heh, don't worry about it."

"Well, what can I get you, sir?"

The office door opened. "Stevie, Stevie, Stevie! What you doin' here in Tundratown, man? Thought you usually went to the Sahara Street shop!"

"Well, my claw covers got broke in practice this morning, so I thought I'd come get some new ones. Then I heard that you were turning 40 today, so I figured I'd come on down to give you a little something!"

"Man, how'd you know I was turnin' 40?"

"You're on a first name basis with the _king_ of linebackers?" The cheetah pitched in, shocked.

"Just heard it from the grapevine, brother. Anyway, I wanted to give you a little somethin'"

Out of a bag, the lion pulled out an official game ball from the ZFL. With his signature on it. And paperwork to confirm that it was real.

"Damn! Man, you too generous."

"Nothin's too generous for my favorite fennec!"

"Nah man!" Finnick said with a happy laugh. "This is too much. I'mma put this up behind the counter. Thanks a ton, man. Here, you can take the claw covah's off the shelf in the third row right there. Extra large Sharpex models, kevlar, won't break on ya. S'got a special glove type strap on the wrist that keeps it from slippin' on ya when yo' claws retract. Best deal I got in the house, man."

"Hey, thanks a ton for that, Finn. You know I can't resist your business. Anyway, Happy birthday, hope you enjoy things back home with your mate and son. How much do you need for the claw covers, by the way?"

"That'll… be… $80, sir…" The cheetah said, dumbfounded at the casual friend talk between his boss and a celebrity football star.

Immediately, the lion produced a one hundred dollar bill and put it on the table. "Keep the change, donate it to someone, do what you will with it. It's yours, Finn."

"Thanks a lot. Hey, I'll see you around."

"See you next time. Oh, by the way, forgot this, too" the lion said putting two tickets to the next Chompers game in Finnick's hands. "Luxury skybox seats, and free concessions as well. You're one of the best sporting goods stores in town. This is just a thank you."

"Hey, thanks man, I'll make good use of 'em. I'll see you around next time somethin' breaks, aight?" The fennec said with a hearty laugh.

"Alright, brother. See you around."

The cheetah was frozen at the cash register as his boss walked back into his office as if nothing interesting had happened.

A police car pulled up to the parallel parking spot in front of the sporting goods store at 7:00 PM, just before shop closing time. Out of the vehicle stepped one familiar fox, one very dear to Finnick (though he would never admit that). Fangmeyer, who was Nick's new partner after his engagement to Judy, had already clocked out for the day, and Nick was on his way back from a quick stop at City Hall.

The fox strutted through the door, grabbing the attention of both the Gazelle and the Cheetah. The freeze in their closing duties clearly indicated that they had a troubled past with police. But Nick knew that Finnick hired troubled kids from low income families. He reassured the two with a smile and a wave.

"Do you two young men know where Finnick is? He's a friend of mine."

"Finnick? He in the office right there, boss man. I can call him out if ya' want."

"Nah, it's okay. Finnick, buddy, how about you come out and let me say happy birthday to you!"

Finnick's ear shot up in the direction of the door when he heard Nick. The two were seeing each other still, but less and less as time went by. He took whatever opportunity to hang out with the old con-fox he could. Bursting open the door, he elated "Nick! You finally in to arrest me, huh?"

"Trust me, Fin, I wouldn't want you anywhere near a courtroom."

"Why's'at? You don't want 'em knowin' all the stuff you was doin with me back when we was young?"

"Absolutely not."

The two drew each other in for a handshake and a hug.

"How's the big 40?"

"Ah, man, things be settlin' down now. I ain't e'en recognize who I was in the mirror today."

"Heh, I know the feeling, big guy. You want to chat in your office? Have a drink?"

"Man, Nick, you know I ain't keep no drinks in here."

"I got you. Still though, I'd love to catch up with ya, diaperman."

"Hey, don't mention that around those two!"

"I'm never going to let you live that down, Finnick. Just show me in."

The two entered the rather luxurious office. After shutting the door and closing the blinds, Nick piped up again. "Okay, so where do you really keep the alcohol?"

"Right here, big Nick" he said, opening up a mini-fridge underneath his desk which was stocked with cheap but good tasting beer.

"Impressive. Really a step up from strutting around in an elephant costume."

Finnick poured out half a can for himself, a quarter for Nick, and set the rest of the can aside. Both had things left in the day, and it wasn't the time to get flat out drunk. Just a simple sip to calm the nerves.

The smaller fox couldn't help but sigh. "I's a step up from rollin' with the gangs, too" he said with a solemn, hanging regret from his younger and more vulnerable years.

"True", the larger agreed, sipping his drink and letting a comfortable silence stew between the two. "What's this all like, Fin?"

"Wha's all what like?"

"The settling down. I mean…you enjoying this?"

Finnick sighed a bit, pulling his office chair out from behind his desk and sitting next to his old friend. "Yeah, but… you eva' miss the excitement of it, Nicky?"

Nick had to seriously reflect. "At first. But I get enough satisfaction from Judy, and the police work keeps me busy."

"Damn, man, I don't know. You know, I'm really tryin' to get these kids off the streets, an' they takin' my advice, Nicky. But… I'm gettin' bored."

"I understand you there, sometimes."

"You know, I wouldn't go back to the streets. But… I don't know, man. I just feel like somethin' in me is missin'. I don't get the excitement anymo'. Everythang's been gettin' all domestic and shit. I just… I don't know."

"Feels like you're settling?"

"Yeah, man… I don't get it, either. I love my wife, I love my kid, love my job, but…. I's gettin' boring. I don't know, part of me worries I'mma start slippin again."

"You're not gonna slip back into hustling, Fin. I know you won't."

"Thanks, Nicky…"

Another moment of silence passed.

"You know what you need to do, Fin? Maybe you just need to take a look at everything you've got. I'm just saying, you have it made. You're getting a new apartment soon, right?"

"Yeah, somethin' fancy in the downtown area."

"Think about it, did you ever dream you'd be there?"

"Can't say I did."

"And you got there legitimately! And you have a beautiful wife, and a son. Maybe you should get a little more time to spend with them. Maybe you need to stop focusing on the excitement you felt before, and start to feel content with what you've earned now."

More silence.

"Yeah, maybe you right, Nicky. Maybe i's jus' a different stage a' my life 'as gon' take some gettin' used to."

"Hey, fin. We should hang out more. Besides, Carrots and I _are_ getting married soon. I'm gonna need a best man."

Finnick cracked a genuine smile. "Man, Nicky. I don't know what to say. Means a lot to me, man."

"You've done a lot for me, ever since I was twelve. Now I'm thirty four, and life couldn't be any better. I'm glad to have you there."

"Aight, Nicky, enough with the sentimental shit, you gettin' me and yo'self all teary eyed."

The two foxes laughed and downed the rest of their drinks.

"I gotta go now fin. Time to turn in the cruiser before Buffalo Butt starts accusing me of being lazy on the job."

"You is lazy on the job though."

"Did I say I wasn't" he asked, stepping out of the office. "Hey, happy birthday. Hope you enjoyed it."

"I did, Nicky. I'll hit you up lata' alright?"

"Sounds like a plan. See ya'!"

Being content never came easy for Finnick. He was always the industrious sort, looking constantly for new ways to get better and better at what he did. To him, being content was a sign of weakness, not an asset of well-being. Contention was settling for second best, contention was refusing to push yourself, he always thought.

But Nick did make a good point. Finnick had to take a little time to savor the rewards of his hard work.

Positive attitude, he thought. Start seeing all of this as a gift instead of stagnation. This is all a reward. This is good.

He sighed. _Would he believe himself as he walked through his apartment door?_

As he turned the knob and opened the door up, he smelled the fresh cooking of his wife, and saw his child, sleeping peacefully (a true miracle) in a small crib in the living room.

"Oh, happy birthday, honey" the wife exclaimed with joy, smiling and running up to her husband to pull him in by his tie for a kiss.

Finnick gladly gave into the kiss.

 _Yes. He would believe himself._


	2. Gazelle

Gazelle looked out of her penthouse window onto the moonlit and glowing streets of Zootopia below. To be honest, she was still in total awe of it all. The fame, the celebrity, the wealth, it all hit her so fast in the past five years. She had no idea what to make of it, but she did know one thing. When she was just a poor girl in Colombia, she would have never dreamed of this.

But here she was, living the life she'd always wanted in the city that had become her's. She had grown to know, love, and even represent the living, breathing, and colorful city Zootopia was. She loved the city, and she genuinely cared about all of its inhabitants. This was her refuge, her sanctuary, her home. But something was still wrong…. Something she still had to hide, even in the city that she loved so much.

A shuffle from underneath her bed's covers didn't snap her out of her thought. "Honey, are you alright?" a deep, masculine voice groggily said.

Gazelle sighed. She didn't turn around to reassure her lover. "It's alright, James, go back to bed."

More shuffling and the springs of the mattress being relieved of their weight had shown that he was not having any of it. Gazelle felt soft arms of orange and black, stripes of the predator who was born to hunt her, wrap around her softly, nestling their hands on her stomach. Then, a muzzle resting on her shoulder, sharing her view of the city. "I know how you get, Gaz. It's okay, you can tell me what's going on." A kiss on her cheek reassured her. "I love you."

She couldn't ignore her boyfriend any longer. Finally, she gave up and leaned into the tiger she loved, feeling his soft, fluffy chest, the toned and stretched muscles that covered it. Turning to the predator, she kissed him on the lips, drinking in his rough tongue.

"Can we talk about this laying down?"

"Of course, babe. Everything's better on a bed" he said, earning a chuckle out of the gazelle.

"Ay, ay, ay, you are _such_ a child."

"You love it."

"You know I do."

Another kiss invited the two young lovers over to the bed, where they both settled into the covers, laying face to face in their underwear, paws stroking each other wherever they could touch. Paws, arms, faces, hips, and backs, all were fair game that the two were very comfortable with.

"Now, honey. What's wrong? You know I don't like to see you sad" the tiger began with a genuine love about his voice.

Another sigh emanated from her feminine lips. "I don't want to have to hide anymore, James."

"Hide what?"

"Don't play stupid with me, Tigre, you know what I'm talking about."

The tiger drew her in closer, pressing himself into her. "You don't want to have to hide us… is that right?"

Gazelle nodded. "You know, with the paparazzi, the cameras, the flashing lights and interviews everywhere… It just gets exhausting. It makes me feel like I can't be myself. It makes me feel like I can't love you like a lover should."

"Baby-"

"I just feel so guilty that I have to hide you like something I'm ashamed of. I feel like I'm making you feel bad every time I have to deny you, but I love you so much."

"Baby, I understand. I don't take it as an insult that we're keeping things a secret, okay? Listen, baby, I love you. And I understand you. But please, gazelle, don't feel guilty, okay? I see you starting to cry, I don't like that."

"No, baby, it's an insult to you. I feel like a horrible girlfriend because of it."

"Don't talk like that"

"It's true, I should be proud of-"

The tiger stopped her lips with a deep, passionate kiss.

"Are you ashamed of me?"

The Gazelle froze for a moment. There were so many answers to that question, and none of them yes or no.

"I don't know, James" she said. "It's just… It's not clear to me where I am with you."

"Do you love me?"

Instantly, without any thought, she replied, "Yes, more than anything else."

"Why?"

"You're just… You're funny, but you're so kind and caring. You always do your best for me and for everyone else around you. I just…. I feel like you're always doing your best for the people you love."

"And does any part of that have to do with the fact that I'm a tiger?"

A pause filled the air. "No." She placed another kiss on his lips. "But I do kind of like that about you, too" she added, trying to be a bit seductive.

"Oh, you are _scandalous_. I didn't know you were into predators like that" he said with feigned shock.

"Please, I've been with you for a year, James. I've learned to enjoy a little bit of the hunt."

The two shared a laugh. This tiger had a way of doing that, she thought. Turning any sad conversation into something that could be laughed at.

"But if I were a gazelle, you'd love me the same, right?"

"I'd love you exactly the same if you were a gazelle, or a lion, or an okapi, or an ibex."

"And if I were a shrew?"

"Now you're pushing it, amor."

Another calming laugh.

"Then why are you hiding it, sweetheart?"

There was silence.

"Is it because you're afraid of all the attention you're going to get from the news?"

More silence. "Yes. I don't want them to start pushing a microphone into my face and start asking me to explain why I am in love with a predator. I just want a happy relationship. But the moment we make it public it's going to become a crusade over interspecies relationships."

Gazelle stroked her tiger's exposed chest, slowly running her hoof down his body. "I just…. I don't want this to become about politics. It should just be about two people who are in love with each other. It shouldn't get any attention at all. I don't want it to get any attention, I just want us to go to a nice restaurant together, sit down, and be treated like adults who are in love, not like a predator and prey breaking nature. No paparazzi, no cameras, not even any special treatment. Just a boyfriend and girlfriend having fun."

The tiger sat up on the bed. "Then let's not make it a press release. Let's just hold paws, go to a restaurant together, and have a civilized date like the 27 year olds we are. Let them figure it out on their own. That sound like a plan?"

"The paparazzi are still going to take pictures."

"Then ignore them! Act like they're idiots for reporting such boring and humdrum news. 'Newsflash, couple goes out on a dinner date'. See it for how ridiculous it is, and just laugh them off. Take it in stride, honey."

Gazelle sat up. When he put it like that, it made a lot of sense. "I guess you're right, hon" she said, shifting over to sit on his lap, wrapping her arms around the back of his neck. "How does the Victoria fine dining restaurant sound?"

"Come on, now, I want to be able to pay for your dinner. I don't think that's in my price range."

"Don't worry about that, James! I get that you don't get paid a lot, I don't love you for your money."

"No, I want to treat you right. Besides, how about something you'd like a little more that a poor young pilot like me can afford. How about La Zootopiana?"

"Mmm, now that you think about it… that sounds better. How does 6:00 sound for you?"

"That's perfect, hon." The two kissed each other passionately. "And don't worry. We'll just ignore the odd looks and have our meal. You don't mind if I eat fish in front of you, right?"

"Baby, we've been living together for three months now. You've _had_ fish in front of me hundreds of times."

"You're right, I don't know what I'm worried about."

The tiger nuzzled his girlfriend's shoulder. "You think they'll think I'm one of your backup dancers?"

"Oh, please, imagine trying to explain that you were a netjet pilot who flew me on a world tour and happened to stay in hotel rooms in the same hallway every night."

"No, I could be one of your backup dancers! Remember last week when you had me try on the fancy underwear and show off for you?"

Both of them exploded in laughter. "Shut up, James, you idiot!"

The laughter calmed down a bit.

"How did I even grab your attention anyway?"

"Obviously it was when we were in Paris. Remember that night at the bar, a year and a half ago?"

"Ah, yes. That cheesy icebreaker. 'This is your captain speaking, would gazelle please come up to the bar and give me her autograph'?"

"I don't know what you were thinking, to be honest! Were you _trying_ to hit on me?"

"Well, no, I was still looking for a tigress back then, but I did want your autograph. And maybe just to get to know you a bit. Customers who know their pilots on a personal level might pay us a bit more."

"You gold digger!"

"Hey, if you were living on a Pilot's salary, you'd do the same thing. But... after a whole night of talking to you, I did want to keep on being friends with you. Even before I knew I loved you, you captivated me."

The Gazelle put a hoof up to her heart. "Oh, James. You're too sweet."

"And then when we kissed for the first time six months later… You had my heart, baby. I was your's from that point forward."

The two stared into each other's eyes for a good while. They had a calming effect on each other in an odd way. Their breathing settled, they locked lips, and paws started to wander. The tiger was so large compared to the gazelle, but it didn't matter to the two of them. Gazelle loved the way James could just surround her, and James loved the way she melted into him like a place of shelter. Paws kept wandering, and the atmosphere turned more and more amorous with each passing second.

"Honey, you don't have a security camera… do you?" James said, noticing a blinking red dot on the ceiling.

Gazelle immediately stopped her exploration of James' body and threw up the sheets to cover herself, turning to notice what she immediately recognized as a paparazzi rat, carrying a small camera and recording the whole conversation they had been having. She immediately got furious.

"Tu estas un pervertido!" She shot up and threw a glass of water she kept on the nightstand directly at the rat. "Chinga usted! Chinga tu madre! Chinga tu familia!" She continued to swear vehemently in the most vulgar spanish she knew, throwing all manner of items at the rat as James got up and tried to catch him. "Tu no tienes un verga! Tu no tienes los huevos!" The rat scurried away as fast as possible, James' paws rushing furiously to catch the intruder. "Métetelo por el culo, rata!" she said, unplugging her lamp and throwing it for it to hit James square in the face on accident.

The rat scurried away when James grabbed for his face, collapsing onto the bed in pain. "Ah! Dammit, honey, what was that for?"

She gasped and rushed over to the tiger. "Oh, no, James, James, I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to hit you! I meant to get the rat! Oh, please, baby, are you okay?"

"Dammit, I think I'm bleeding a bit. Can you check?"

The tiger was, in fact, bleeding. Profusely, even. It quickly became apparent to Gazelle that he'd have to go to the hospital for some stitches.

"Oh, no, honey! You need to see a doctor! Come on, get dressed! We can't go to the hospital half-naked like this!"

"I'll get dressed and drive myself, honey, you don't have to go if you don't want-"

"Stop talking nonsense, James! I want to go with you and make sure you're okay. You don't have a choice, I'm going with you!"

* * *

After a long, difficult, and brutally honest explanation in the emergency room about what had happened, James got the stitches he had needed and was sent home with Gazelle. The drive home wasn't silent, the two had talked about taking care of the wound until it healed up. Gazelle offered apology after apology and James kept reassuring her that it was all right. By the time they had gotten to Gazelle's penthouse, the blood on James' shirt had stained.

"Honey, go change real quick, you're covered in blood."

"Sure thing." He changed in the bedroom while Gazelle set the cream he'd use on the wound for a couple weeks on the nightstand. As he was taking his shirt off, he started to talk again.

"So… talk about an awkward third wheel" he said, trying to be funny, but coming across more solemn and sad.

"James, it's okay."

"How could they do that to us?" he asked, taking off his pants and searching the drawers for new ones. "I mean, did they really have to film us making love? I can't even romance my girlfriend without eyes watching us? If we were in public, I wouldn't mind, honey, but our _bedroom?_ "

"It's probably all over the internet and Z News by this point."

"Are you saying they're allowed to do that?"

"No! It's absolutely illegal! But that doesn't stop people from talking! That rat didn't even have the common decency to at least stop filming when we were clearly having an intimate moment! I'm going to have to sue somebody!"

The tiger sighed, and changed underwear. He decided he'd just leave tomorrow's shirt and pants on the dresser and put them on in the morning. "I guess I understand why you wanted to keep this a secret for a while."

"Oh… no, James, don't say that."

"Hon, am I a liability to you?"

Gazelle froze. "Wh- what? How could you talk like that?"

"Am I just going to bring attention that you don't want? I love you, hon, but I don't want to force you into a living hell just to be with me."

"James, you stop talking like that right now! Life with you isn't a living hell. It's a slice of heaven. You think this isn't the first paparazzi rat that's tried to get into my intimate life?"

"There's been more?"

"It's just a part of being a celebrity. A part I don't like at all, but I know how to handle this. I've already contacted my lawyer, he's probably going to be able to get the film off the internet and the TV."

James paused. "Okay."

Gazelle looked at her phone. "It's already on Z News that we're together. They're going to be asking us questions on our date tomorrow. I can probably find some way to reserve a table at La Zootopiana so that we can eat in peace. I know it isn't what we had hoped, but we will still go on a date." She moved over to her tiger, curling up next to his significantly larger frame. "And tomorrow, I'll check to make sure there are no rats, and we can try to have some more _fun_ after the date."

The tiger purred.

"You boys, so easy."

"Hey, you know you like easy."

"I _love_ easy, James."

The two caressed each other to sleep.

Gazelle still managed to look out the window of her penthouse before sleep took over. Perhaps this was a good thing, she thought. No, it was certainly a good thing. Now she had nothing to hide. She loved a tiger, and a tiger loved her. And even if she'd get tons of questions about it, Zootopia would be a little more like home.


End file.
